The present invention relates generally to a pump employed in a beverage system including a housing that attaches a motor to an assembly plate that includes an integrated water port, and a water conduit is attached to the integrated water port to supply water to a mixing chamber to mix with a flavored concentrate form a beverage.
Beverages systems are employed to make beverages. A flavored concentrate and water are mixed to form the beverage. Typically, the flavored concentrate is stored in a concentrate container. A piston of a pump nutates within a pump head to draw a set amount of the flavored concentrate into a mixing chamber. Water is mixed with the flavored concentrate in the mixing chamber to form the beverage with a desired concentration.
In prior pumps that make beverages, the flavored concentrate is pumped into the mixing chamber with a pump, and water is separately pumped in the mixing chamber with a separate pump. An external connection feature is used to connect a water conduit to the mixing chamber. The connection feature is complex and requires a lot of space. Water from a water source directly flows into the mixing chamber for mixing with the flavored concentrate to form the beverage. A valve controls the flow of water into the mixing chamber to provide the beverage with the proper concentration. A drawback to prior pumps is that the pumps are large and that the external connection feature is bulky.
Hence, there is a need in the art for a pump employed in a beverage system including a housing that attaches a motor to an assembly plate that includes an integrated water port, and a water conduit is attached to the integrated water port to supply water to a mixing chamber to mix with a flavored concentrate to form a beverage and that overcomes the drawbacks and shortcomings of the prior art.